The lightest fighter on this list of titanic pugilists weighs in at an astonishing 31 tonnes, the heaviest at over 63 tonnes, is the same weight as 12 adult elephants.These formidable fighter aircraft were created in such generous proportions for a reason, and are generally long-ranged, very fast and extremely well armed. Almost half of them failed to reach front-line service, often crippled by the huge costs incurred by such heavy advanced fighter projects. The joker in the pack is the Boeing YB-40, a long-range escort fighter version of the B-17 bomber. Armed with up to 30 ‘fifty-cal’ guns (and sometimes a 40-mm cannon) this ferocious gunship proved too heavy and draggy to keep up with the bombers it was created to protect. After a 25 aircraft operational trial it was cancelled.
The weight given is the maximum take-off, apart from when otherwise specified.
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15. Maple Regrets: Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow
Year: 1958
Max take-off weight: 31120 kg (68,605 lb)
Length: 23.71Â m (77Â ft 9Â in)
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14. Military Industrial Oedipus Complex: Lockheed Martin F-35A/C Lighting II
Year: 2006
Max take-off weight: 31800Â kg (70,000 lbs)
Length:Â 15.67Â m (50 ft 5 in)
13. Le Strike Eagle: Dassault Mirage 4000
Year: 1979
Max take-off weight: 32000 kg (70,548 lb)
Length: 18.70 m (61 ft 4 in)
__________________________________________
12. The Reluctant Gunbus: Boeing YB-40 Flying Fortress
Year: 1943
Max take-off weight: 34000 kg (74,000 lb)
Length: 22.6 m (74 ft 9 in)
11. Iranian Topgun: Grumman F-14 Tomcat
Year: 1970
Weight: 33720 kg (74,350 lb)
Length: 19.1 m (62 ft 9 in)
10. Heavyweight acrobat: Sukhoi Su-30
Year: 1989
Weight: 34500Â kg (76,060Â lb)
Length: 21.935Â m (72 ft 9 in)
9. The Unborn Oligarch: Sukhoi PAK FA
Year: 2010
Weight: 35000 kg (77,160 lb)
Length: 19.8 m (65 ft)
8. China’s Raptor: Chengdu J-20
Year: 2011
Weight: 35381 kg (78,000 lb) – estimated
Length: 20Â m (66.8Â ft)
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7. Foxbatmobile: Mikoyan MiG-25
Year: 1964
Weight: 36720 kg (80,952 lb)- (loaded not maximum)
Length: 19.75 m (64 ft 10 in)
_________________
6. Reagan’s Lamborghini: Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
Year: 1997
Weight: 38000 kg (83,500 lb)
Length: 18.92 m (62 ft 1 in)
5. McNamara’s Folly: General Dynamics–Grumman F-111B
Year: 1965
Max take-off weight: 39900 kg (88,000 lb)
Length:Â 20.98 m (68 ft 10 in)
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4. Fiddler on the roof: Tupolev Tu-128
Year: 1961
Max take-off weight: 43700 kg (96,342 lb)
Length: 30.06 m (99 ft)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Psycho-reheat: Mikoyan MiG-31
Year: 1975
Max take-off weight: 46200 kg (101,900 lb)
Length: 22.69 m (74 ft 5 in)
2. Skunky nightrider: Lockheed YF-12
Year: 1963
Max take-off weight: 63504 kg (140,000 lb)
Length: 30.97 m (101 ft 8 in)
______________________
1. South Atlantic hunter-killer:  Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.2P
In preparation for the Falklands war of 1982, the RAF gave their Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft the ability to carry two AIM-9 Sidewinders. The primary intent was not self-defence – but to destroy Argentinian maritime reconnaissance aircraft – arguably making the Nimrod the heaviest fighter ever to fly.
Year: 1982
Max take-off weight: 87090 kg (192,000 lb)
Length: 38.65 m (126 ft 9 in)
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